West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-11
THE POSITION OF THE TRUE
DEMOCRACY.

Camuen oBereu 70 support tuner one
a number of gentlemen they named
The Camden Democrats answered, in
substance, that they would not listen
to any compromise. Thereupon the
anti STANDARD Oil Democrats pub
fish the following dignified and
manly letter:
CHARLESTON, Feb. 4th, 1887.
TO HoN. NJ. GwrSE AND OTHERS
GENrLEMEN:-We beg leave TO
acknowledge the receipt of your
communication this day handed to
US in reply to our former communi-
cation in reference to the election of
United States Senator. We did
not prepare our former communities
tion with view to its publication,
butsince you have seen fit to pub
lish both it and your reply, we be-
lieve it to be due to ourselves to re
join and to set forth briefly the mo-
tives which have prompted our ac-
ton in refusing to 60 into the eau
Gus held on January 18th, or to rec
ognize the binding obligation of its
decision. We have not concealed
from ourselves the fact that we are
the representatives Of a constituency
to whose interests and wishes we
owe prior and higher allegiance
than to the dictate of any caucus.
Upon a legislative question it is not
claimed that any representative
could yield to the decision of party
caucus, either obedience to the
wishes of his constituents or his
own conscientious convictions of
duty to the public interests. We
cannot perceive upon what lower or
different ground we can act in the
discharge Of the high duty of elect
ing Senator With this conviction
upon this subject, we, after the most
mature deliberation, concluded that
we could not, under the circumstan-
ces, conscientiously support Mr.
Camden for United States Senator
We found, however. that by practi-
ces and methods which we could but
condemn his nomination in caucus
was foregone conclusion. To par
ticipate in a caucus was to assist in
his election, to help carry out what
we considered deep laid scheme to
defeat the will Of the people of this
State. This we could not consent to
do. We realized that Mr. Camden
had used the Federal patronage in
this State not for patriotic purposes,
nor even to strengthen the organize
tion of the Democratic party, bat
solely to construct a system of polit
zeal machinery to be operated so as
to secure his own reelection. 1t is
only necessary to consider the vari
Gus Federal appointments for which
he is responsible in this State to
realize the truth of this statement.
One Of the fundamental principles
of our-party has ever been the non
interference of the Federal govern
ment in State elections and legisla-
ton. I. was the continued out
rageous violation of this principle
by the Republican party that led to
its overthrow in the last national
election. And yet this great Demo
cratic doctrine has been openly and
flagrantly violated in this contest by
partizans of Mr.. Camden. In spite
of Mr.. Cleveland's orders upon this
subject. We found that the Federal
aLpointees were seeking to control
nominations and carry primaries in
Mr.. Camden's favor
We found they sought to control
the press of the State, and we saw
them here in solid and aggressive
phalanx, urging Mr.. Camden's re-
election and seeking to influence
members The United States Mar
shall, the Collector Of Internal Reve-
nue., the United States District At
torney, AID q large number OF their
respective deputies, besides several
postmasters and other Federal Off
Gals, who owed their appointments
to Mr.. Camden, were here in
Charleston for days before the So
called caucus was held. Besides
large number of other persons from
different parts of the State, whom
we have reason to believe were
brought and kept here at Mr.. Cam
denis expense, all clamorous for his
reelection. We believe, moreover,
that many delegates during this can
vass had been rendered, by Mr.Cam-
den, and in many cases had received
money from him to secure their cleo
ton, and it was claimed by Mr..
Camden's hackers that this placed
these members of the Legislature
under such obligations to him that
they could not refuse to vote for
him. If this claim was q valid one
it could hardly be expected to agree
that they should decide this matter
for US. We believe, moreover, that
in some counties where nomi-
nations had been made unfriendly
to Mr.. Camden an unseen hand
had placed independents in the field
and encouraged them to defeat the
regular nominees. In some cases
even Republicans had been put up
q - a. Il